Chapter 266: A Total Mess
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 266: A Total Mess
Saki Hina quickly scheduled a visit to Joaquin Academy. She had received word that Ryozo was hospitalized.
In truth, she had already heard it was only a minor injury. Nor were the two of them on friendly enough terms for her to go out of her way to visit.
Even so, Saki Hina booked a flight ticket to South Korea at the crack of dawn. Since this was a secret trip behind the back of her father, Saki Kojima, she couldn't travel in her private jet.
"Hmm."
Inside the plane, Hina thoroughly read through the flood of news articles. She focused without so much as blinking. The cabin was chilly enough that dew drops almost seemed to form on her eyelashes.
[Terrorist Attack at Joaquin Academy… Who is Behind It?]
[Terrorists Raid the Ballroom… Public Condemnation.]
[Joaquin: Children Trembling in Fear of Repeated Terrorist Attacks.]
[Joaquin Academy Terror Attack Leaves at Least 20 Injured……]
Most of them were articles regarding yesterday's "Joaquin Terror." Among them, what caught her eye was the very last line.
[…At least 20 injured… However, thanks to the heroics of the Heavenly Sword, the death toll is "0."]
A proud smile spread across Saki Hina's lips. She turned off her phone and looked out the oval window. The plane was losing altitude, descending through the clouds.
"We shall meet again soon, Lord Heavenly Sword."
As the altitude dropped, Hina's smile deepened in tandem. She didn't deny her heart pounding wildly against her chest.
Click.
Recalling the face she would soon see, Hina pulled down the window shade.
* * *
The moment I killed the pale bastard who looked like a virgin ghost, I rushed outside the chapel. Before I knew it, the Poison Twins joined in and brought the situation to a swift end.
With two more added to the existing lineup—Charon, Shail, Abel, and Ryozo—the enemy was utterly helpless.
Finishing the suppression in the blink of an eye, the Poison Twins immediately set about wrapping things up.
Fortunately, the terrorist attack had been centered around the ballroom, and the original members had successfully defended the hall. Thanks to that, the damage didn't spread outside the ballroom.
While there were some injuries, they weren't pouring in endlessly. Even if there were any, they were mostly minor. Most importantly, there were zero fatalities. Despite it being a large-scale terror attack launched by dozens of attackers, there were practically no casualties.
It was a splendid triumph, even more overwhelming than the swift suppression of the attack itself. Because of that, Medea grabbed onto my pant leg and cried like a child… But anyway, the fact that those were tears of joy rather than sorrow held deep meaning.
After wailing for a good while, Medea immediately set off to track down the forces behind the attack. Meain seemed to be fuming mad as well, joining her younger twin sister. Since winter break started in two days anyway, the timing was quite appropriate for them.
They didn't give me their destination, but I wasn't worried about either of them. Who on earth could possibly stand in the Poison Twins' way? Anyone who messed with those two right now would be beaten to a pulp.
The murderous intent in their eyes was so thick that even I felt a chill looking at them right now.
Just then, a sharp, loud shout broke my train of thought.
"Mom! Stop touching it! It hurts, I said!"
"Hold still, will you? Sheesh, how can a girl's arms be so stubborn?"
There was Ryozo throwing a tantrum, and her mother, Cynthia, wrapping bandages around her.
I watched the mother and daughter's affectionate bickering from a distance. Then, leaning my shoulder against the hospital room wall, I let out a soft sigh.
I didn't expect her mother to come up here right away.
Cynthia had arrived here before the academy could even make an official announcement. I had a faint idea of where the information came from.
Saki Hina.
It was Hina who had provided Cynthia's location to Ryozo in the past. So there was no reason the reverse couldn't happen.
The local media outlets might chatter about special treatment regarding information leaks, but one glare from me would shut them up.
Besides, Ryozo deserves the special treatment.
Ryozo was one of the two students whose performance was particularly outstanding. The other was Abel.
The two of them were there from the beginning of the incident to the end. Something like this didn't even count as preferential treatment.
For the record, Abel was completely fine without a scratch. Ryozo was the only one hospitalized, and even then, it was just a hairline fracture.
Anyway.
I should talk to the Association and get them separate compensation.
Ryozo and Abel would stubbornly refuse, but I planned to force it on them anyway.
Even if it wasn't material, there had to be a reward. Nothing should be done for free.
I wasn't saying this just because I was a Korean gamer.
"Phew. All done."
Cynthia wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. Lying on the hospital bed was what looked like a mummy. It was Ryozo, her entire body wrapped in bandages with only her face exposed like an egg ghost.
"What is this?!"
"You know your mom used to be a renowned doctor back in the day, right? That's why the doctors and nurses trusted me and handed you over."
Trusted her and handed her over? More like the medical staff bowed deeply the moment they saw Cynthia.
Divine Doctor. The medical staff definitely called Cynthia by that title.
I never thought she was a normal housewife in the first place. No matter if she was the fifth or sixth wife, she was still a daughter-in-law of the Saki family.
Entering my second year in a class-based society, I was gradually getting used to the ecosystem of this world. Even so, I hadn't expected Cynthia to be a big shot so far outside my expectations.
And for such a big shot to…
"Wow—looking at you like this, my daughter looks just like a Pharaoh! Why don't you get a job in Egypt after graduation?"
"Mo-om!"
It was equally surprising how genuinely devoted she was to teasing her own daughter. An old-souled daughter and a childish mother. A match made in heaven.
She really stays young at heart.
Ryozo threw a childish tantrum, seemingly forgetting my presence entirely. It felt a bit strange to watch—like a kid who had always acted like a miniature adult was suddenly regressing into a child.
Well, but that's how someone her age is supposed to act.
I chuckled softly and shook my head with a faint smile.
"Oh, where are my manners? Teasing you was just too much fun."
Noticing my gaze, Cynthia quickly packed up the first aid kit and stood up.
"Take your time chatting."
Before leaving the room, she offered me a bright smile. Then she brushed off my shoulders.
"My daughter is always indebted to you. It might be shameless of me, but please continue to take good care of her in the future."
Cynthia looked closely into my eyes.
"Son. In. Law. Kang."
Her eyes curved into gentle crescents.
* * *
The sheer weight of the words "Son-in-law Kang" felt like a heavy blow to my solar plexus. As I stood there slightly dazed, a voice behind me snapped me back to reality.
"Hey."
Kang Geomma paused and turned around. The mummy (Ryozo) was staring at him blankly.
"Can you help me with this……"
Ryozo swallowed the rest of her sentence: 'Unwrap this a bit.' Coming to her senses, she realized she was bare beneath the bandages. Loosening them might lead to an embarrassing situation.
Not that she disliked the idea. In fact, maybe it wouldn't be so bad?
Still, it was far too early. There would be plenty of time even after they became adults. Ryozo was looking far into the distant future with Kang Geomma.
"Sit here."
Pouting her lips, Ryozo gestured toward the folding chair. Since her chin and neck were firmly immobilized, this was the limit of her movement.
Kang Geomma scratched near his eyebrow with his thumb and sat on the chair. Originally, he had intended to just check on her condition and leave. Having been hospitalized countless times himself, he knew full well the importance of rest.
However, the patient's wishes were even more important than that. At least inside this hospital room, Ryozo was the absolute authority. If she told him to sit, it was only natural to obey quietly.
"……"
The atmosphere in the room turned profoundly awkward.
How should he put it? The vibe was strange. Even the smell of medicine felt surprisingly tolerable today, and the beep-beep of the patient monitor sounded like the thumping of a beating heart.
Ryozo, whose eyes had been busily darting around, eventually let out a sigh. This heavy atmosphere was far more suffocating than the tightness of her bandages. She desperately needed to change the subject.
"What happened at the chapel back then?"
Ryozo asked. Kang Geomma fell silent in thought for a moment.
Conveying the situation back then without causing misunderstandings was no simple task.
How was he supposed to explain the Hero holding a secret meeting with a Majin? Revealing a situation he didn't fully comprehend himself required utmost caution. Since the facts hadn't been fully verified, there was plenty of room for misunderstanding.
Se-in's hospital room was currently guarded by the Outer God Church, and Leon was flatly refusing any interviews or visitations. Thus, verifying the facts was bound to take some time.
Depending on what I say here, Ryozo's perception of Leon will change.
Lately, doubts about the Hero's qualifications were popping up from time to time, and Ryozo didn't view Leon favorably to begin with. He felt uncomfortable, wondering if he might sound like he was driving a wedge between them.
But hiding it from Ryozo feels even more uncomfortable.
At the very least, shouldn't she know why she had fought, putting her life on the line? Yet he couldn't bring himself to lie either. It was a matter of conscience. He might evade the issue for the moment, but that would be destroying the trust they had built up.
Kang Geomma made up his mind. Since Ryozo was more than qualified to hear the truth, his hesitation didn't last long.
Kang Geomma recounted a summarized version of what happened, exactly as it was. Adding nothing, omitting nothing—just what he saw with his own eyes.
"…Hmm."
Having heard the whole story, Ryozo narrowed her eyes. Her sharp mind immediately set to work deconstructing and analyzing the circumstances.
The international situation is already unstable and uneasy. If this story leaks out, it will cause immense chaos.
Regardless of her personal distaste, Ryozo acknowledged the necessity of the Hero's existence.
Leon possessed a gravitational pull that attracted people to him. Because he was there, minor disputes and conflicts within the academy were quickly extinguished.
Whatever it is, that must be the Hero's Unique Blessing.
If Leon graduated from the academy and stepped into the world of heroes, humanity would gain a solid focal point. That was a unique role he possessed—one that even Kang Geomma, who had become the youngest member of the Seven Stars, could not fulfill.
The mere fact that such a man had held a conversation with a Majin would tarnish his prestige. Many would doubt Leon, and humanity, having lost its focal point in the 'Hero,' would struggle to unite.
From Kang Geomma's brief account, Ryozo keenly felt the severity of the situation. She also understood without needing to be told that she had to keep completely silent for the time being.
Seeing Ryozo's expression remain dark, Kang Geomma scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Why does the atmosphere keep getting heavier the more I talk?
He changed the subject.
"You know what you and Abel asked me before? About which one of you I pick."
Ryozo felt her ears perk up beneath the bandages. Her body was stiff as a cactus, but her ears were wide open.
"I've been thinking about it by myself ever since," Kang Geomma said in a lowered voice.
"But do I really need to choose between the two of you? I mean, between friends—"
At that moment, the door burst open. Cynthia strode in, approaching Kang Geomma and Ryozo.
And lo and behold, a familiar face came ambling in right behind Cynthia. It was Saki Hina.
Faced with this unexpected intrusion, Kang Geomma's face turned bewildered. Don't tell me she was eavesdropping? Wait, and why is Saki Hina here?
"Son-in-law Kang."
Since it was the second time, Cynthia called him by the title naturally now. Kang Geomma swallowed hard. He hadn't done anything wrong, yet he felt strangely guilty.
"My daughter… my daughter is……"
Cynthia's lips trembled violently. Why is she so angry?
Kang Geomma hastily averted his eyes. Saki Hina was standing there with an awkward expression, fidgeting with her fingers.
"I don't care how many wives you take!"
Cynthia suddenly grabbed Kang Geomma's hand.
"B-But my daughter must be the first wife! Got it, Son-in-law Kang? Promise me at least that much!"
"……?"
Kang Geomma's eyes went completely blank. His head was filled with utter chaos.
"I do not mind what number I am among your wives," Saki Hina said to the stunned hero, shyly covering her blushing cheeks with her sleeve.
"…What a disaster," Ryozo muttered.
It was a cold, objective evaluation of her family.